"The hottest weather of the season is likely on the way for the Pacific Northwest this coming weekend, and it could get even hotter next week." So says Steve Pierce President, Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society. in a news release pierce says "In fact, the entire western half of the country is about to bake under what could be a near record setting heatwave for some locations in the southwest. Models are coming into better agreement today for a significant heatwave across much of the west starting this Thursday and lasting into early next week. At this point in time there is the potential for seeing temperatures approaching 130 degrees in Death Valley, CA." If that comes to pass those tempatures would be just a few degrees shy of the all-time world record highest temperature ever recorded for any location on earth. The old world record of 136 degrees recorded in Libya back in 1922 was found to be incorrect and the torch (literally) has now been passed to Death Valley, CA. that reached 134 degrees in 1913.

The National Weather Service forecast for Astoria and vicinity does indicate a significant warming trend with sunny days and highs in the upper 70's for the weekend and then breaking 80's for the start of the week. "The big question remains, how hot will it get here in the Pacific Northwest? It will all depend on exactly where the ridge of high pressure sets up." According to Pierce who says forecast models indicate that ridge would park over Portland and Seattle which could mean tempatures climbing to 100 degrees in the Portland Area.